How good are Ducks' recruits: four star receiver among them

Larry W. Smith/The New York TimesBryce Brown, left, and his brother, Arthur. Bryce isn't expected to decide on a school until next month. He is highly recruited by Chip Kelly and the Ducks.

EUGENE -- As the fax machine warms up in the Oregon football office, it is still the unknown letters of intent that will decide the quality of the Ducks' 2009 recruiting class.

On the eve of today's national signing day, the Ducks had secured commitments from a four-star cornerback who could play right away, Cliff Harris, and about 20 others, but they still wait -- along with the rest of the college football world -- to see where the nation's top recruit will go.

Running back Bryce Brown of Wichita, Kan., probably won't decide until next month, though. He is the latest sky-high recruiting target for Chip Kelly, the Ducks' head coach-in-waiting who lost out on current Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor last year and on quarterback Tajh Boyd (Clemson) this year.

Another top recruit who will decide much sooner -- today, in fact -- is Diante Jackson, a four-star receiver from Walnut Creek, Calif. Jackson has narrowed his choice to Oregon, Colorado and Arizona State. If he decides on the Ducks, he would solidify a recruiting class that is short on receivers, especially given the number of job openings Oregon has there.

And there is Tyrece Gaines, a four-star receiver from Butler (Kan.) County Junior College, the top-rated junior college receiver who could go a long way toward making up for the apparent lack of offensive star power in this class if he chooses the Ducks over Oklahoma.

Scout has Oregon's class rated 33rd in the nation and fifth in the Pacific-10 Conference, behind USC, Stanford, UCLA and California. Rivals puts the Ducks 40th, just ahead of Arizona State.

Many Duck fans were hoping this class would bring a mother lode of talent to Eugene, coming on the heels of Dennis Dixon's Heisman run, Jonathan Stewart's run to the NFL and the Ducks' No. 10 finish in 2008. After all, the Ducks followed their 10-2 2005 season with a 2007 recruiting class coach Mike Bellotti called Oregon's "best ever."

But if a recruiting class can be measured only in stars, then this one falls well short of Oregon fans' hopes -- barring a signing of Brown.

As of Tuesday, the Ducks had commitments from one quarterback -- Daryle Hawkins, a two-star athlete from Omaha, Neb., who has very little experience at the position -- and no running backs.

It's not like the Ducks are full of holes there. They have Jeremiah Masoli, who will be a junior, and Darron Thomas, a sophomore, at quarterback. They will have senior LeGarrette Blount, redshirt freshman LaMichael James, senior Andre Crenshaw and junior Remene Alston at running back.

But they lose Jaison Williams and Terence Scott at receiver and could certainly use Jackson or Gaines there. Some around the Casanova Center are still hopeful Oregon can persuade Markus Wheaton to follow in cousin Kenny's footsteps and choose Eugene over Corvallis, but the receiver has committed to the Beavers.

On defense, the Ducks have commitments from two four-star recruits: Harris, of Fresno, Calif., and Bryson Littlejohn, a linebacker from Roseville (Calif.) Sierra C.C. The scouting services differ, between three- and four stars, on linebackers Boseko Lokombo and Michael Clay.

Harris, regarded as one of the best cover corners in the nation, would help make Oregon's defensive recruiting class a strong one.

But has Oregon's to-be-announced change at the top, from Bellotti to Kelly, hurt recruiting this year? Only one recruit, Wheaton, has said it affected his decision, but the lack of stars on offense is glaring.